Knee Injury in Moselle, MO

Knee Injury in Moselle, MO. A knee injury can wreak havoc on your day to day living, and even your long-term well-being. There is nobody in Moselle, MO who is completely immune to the threat of a knee injury. Knee injuries can happen in any number of situations — often when you least expect it. However, the majority of knee injury victims experience damage due to age-related deterioration, exposure to repetitive motions (such as in certain occupations), and trauma and damage caused by an accident or while engaging in physical activity.

Do you have knee pain, buckling, stiffness, swelling, or other symptoms related to the knee? You may have a knee injury, whether or not you can identify a specific moment of trauma that could explain the injury. Increase your chances of a full, successful recovery by trusting Axes Physical Therapy for help with your knee injury in the Moselle, MO area. Our team of physical and occupational therapists will design a treatment plan to maximize your recovery and restore you to optimal movement.

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What Are Knee Injuries?

The knee is the largest joint in the human body and is integral to executing so many of the actions, motions, and functions that distinguish us from other animals and allow us to performing the complex tasks our busy lives require. This joint is composed of four distinct structures, none of which are immune to injury. The knee contains bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

The bones of the knee include the tibia, femur, and patella. The three bones are bound together by muscle groups, which are connected together by tendons and ligaments, that work together to make it possible for us to stand, sit, walk, and move. In addition to joining the separate bones together within the joint, ligaments act to create stability and prevent movement in certain directions. Within the joint, the ends of the bones are capped in a layer of cartilage — essentially a cushion that protects the hard bones where they meet and works as a shock absorber when movement or weight put pressure on the joint.

All the different components of the knee’s anatomy, whether soft tissue or bone, are essential to the knee’s ability to function as a strong and healthy joint, and any kind of damage to the bones, muscles, tendons or ligaments within the joint can lead to a knee injury. If you or a family member recently suffered an acute trauma in or around your knee or have a chronic condition that could lead to damage to the knee, speak with Axes Physical Therapy to learn about the best choice for the treatment of a knee injury in Moselle, MO today or book an appointment online now.

Prevalence and Common Causes of Knee Injuries in Moselle, MO and the US

The knee is a sophisticated part of the human anatomy — a beautifully constructed joint that makes it possible for us to execute tasks and movements that are unique to humans. However, the intricate joint design brings with it an inherent susceptibility to a number of different injuries. In fact, knee injuries account for the most common type of sports injury, contributing to 41 percent of all sports injuries. And sports injuries are just one category of knee injury that people in Moselle, MO and throughout the US can suffer. While physical activity is the more popular culprit for knee injuries in young people, older adults who sustain knee injuries most often do so in acute injuries involving falls and ramps or through chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis.

Consider these fast knee injury facts and statistics from Society for Academic Emergency Medicine:

Teens and young adults (patients ranging in age from 15 years old to their late 20’s) are the most likely to suffer a knee injury
Men are more likely to have a knee injury than women, making up 68% of all knee injury sufferers
Fifty percent of all knee injuries are caused by sports-related injuries
Among sports-related knee injuries, soccer and skiing are the most dangerous sports and activities, together accounting for more than a quarter of all knee injuries related to sports
After sports injuries, most common knee injury causes are related to home structures at 30.2% and home furnishings at 13.6%
The overwhelmingly most common knee injury diagnoses are strains and sprains at 42.1%; next are contusions and abrasions at 27.1% and lacerations and puncture wounds at 10.5%

Common Types of Knee Injuries in Moselle, MO

Sprains and Strains. A sprain or strain knee injury involves a muscle or ligament within the joint structure of the knee. These injuries happen when the knee meets a sudden force or is suddenly forced in the wrong direction (for example, suddenly stopping to change directions or twisting).
Fractures. A fracture is a broken bone, which can be anything from a hairline fracture or crack in the bone to something much more devastating such as a comminuted fracture when a bone shatters into several pieces. Even the kneecap bone, called the patella, can be broken during a knee injury, especially in car accidents, hard falls against solid objects, assaults and other catastrophic events.
Cartilage or Ligament Tears. Blows to the knee from different directions can lead to a number of different knee injuries involving ligaments surrounding the joint. Sudden changes in direction such as twisting and pivoting motions can also result in a tear to the meniscus — the cartilage padding the knee where the bones meet — and/or anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear injuries. You can get more information about our treatment and therapy services for Moselle, MO ACL tears near you.
Arthritis. There are countless variations of arthritis and each patient has their own unique experience of their condition. However, if you suffer from a chronic condition like arthritis and experience knee injury symptoms like pain or stiffness, you may have an arthritis-induced knee injury. You may even be at risk of developing bone spurs. Without the proper quality arthritis treatment for joint health, you face rapid and irreparable damage to your knee joint cartilage.
Tendonitis and Other Forms of Inflammation. When under constant stress or overuse, tendons in the knee can become inflamed. This is commonly found in patients who regularly perform running, jumping, or cycling activities. One of the most common types of tendonitis knee injuries is jumper’s knee because of the strain to the tendon that occurs as a result of the repeated force of hitting the ground after jumping.

Risk Factors for a Knee Injury in Moselle, MO

Being overweight. Heaviness or obesity puts undue stress on your knee joints, even during what are generally considered light activities such as walking or going up and down stairs. Being at an unhealthy excessive weight also puts you at increased risk of osteoarthritis because of the premature breakdown of joint cartilage.
Weakness or stiffness. A lack of strength and flexibility can put you at a heightened risk of knee injuries. Strong muscles help stabilize and protect your joints, while muscle flexibility can help you utilize a full range of motion.
Some activities and occupations. Some athletic and occupational activities put greater stress on your knees than do others. Downhill snowboarding and skiing involve rigid boots and harsh landings, basketball jumps and pivots, and the repeated force of running or jogging on hard surfaces like pavement all involve a risk of knee injury in Moselle, MO. Occupations that require repetitive stress on the knees like installation or farming put you at an increased risk as well.
Previous Injury. Being injured in the past puts you at a higher risk of injuring your knee again.
Age. As we age, the tissues in our body wear down. The knee is no exception. The protective cartilage cushioning the bones in your knee can break down, and conditions associated with advanced age like osteoporosis make your bones weak and susceptible to injury.

When You Need Treatment for your Knee Injury in Moselle, MO

As always, each patient is unique and it is important that you speak with a licensed healthcare professional when a knee injury or any condition affects your ability to function normally or live comfortably. After all, who wants to go through life with chronic pain or any sort of physical limitation, especially in a part of the body as critical to movement and daily life as the knee?

While your experience as a patient is unique, there are certain times that immediate medical care is necessary. Specifically, when you suffer an acute knee injury, noticeable swelling is a warning sign that you need emergency medical attention. According to Yale Medicine, swelling after a knee injury indicates a serious injury that necessitates immediate medical care. Rapid, extensive swelling that occurs in the three to four hours after an acute trauma impacts the knee is typically a sign that blood is trapped in the joint.

What To Do After a Knee Injury in Moselle, MO

When in doubt, err on the side of caution and seek out medical care right away after you notice a potential knee injury. Especially in the case of an acute or sudden injury, the commonly known RICE method can help mitigate the damage and support your knee injury recovery with a swift response to the trauma.

The RICE method refers to:

Rest. If you experience pain or suspect a knee injury, do not force any activity or introduce any additional undue stress to the joint. If possible, avoid putting weight on the affected knee and minimize movement.
Ice. The application of ice or a cold compress after an injury like a knee injury can help temporarily ease the pain and reduce swelling. When using ice on an injury, do not apply the ice directly on bare skin and remember to follow an alternating schedule of 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off.
Compression. It may be helpful to wrap the injured knee with a soft, elastic bandage or ace wrap. Take care not to wrap the area so tight that it causes pain or cuts off blood and oxygen circulation to the injured area.
Elevate. During the initial resting time after the occurrence of your knee injury, you can use pillows, a stool, or another prop or structure to help keep your injured knee elevated higher than your heart. This elevation can stimulate reparative blood flow to the injury, reduce pressure and throbbing, and encourage the removal of waste from the area.

Getting Physical Therapy for your Knee Injury in Moselle, MO

When you come to Axes Physical Therapy for knee injury treatment near you in the Moselle, MO area, you will work with a dedicated physical therapist who will work with you by administering a custom physical therapy treatment plan in Moselle, MO. With extensive clinical success restoring knee injury patients back to optimal performance, your physical therapist will put their advanced education and the latest empirical data on the most up-to-date treatment practices to use to help you successfully heal from your Moselle, MO knee injury and return to all the activities you care about and need to be able to do for work, home, and recreation.

During your first Moselle, MO appointment with Axes for your knee injury, your physical therapist will conduct an evaluation of your overall condition, health history, and an injury screening. From ensuring that your physical therapist is operating with a complete picture of your condition and overall health to consistently engaging in the prescribed exercises, you are a critical piece in your knee injury treatment puzzle. It is imperative that you take an active role in your physical therapy treatment of your knee injury.

In order to eliminate pain and other symptoms, heal the damaged tissue, and return you to optimal physical performance, your physical therapist may employ a variety of therapies to target your knee injury.

Stretches and exercises
Training to correct posture, gait, or other movement technique
Heat and ice therapies
Ultrasound
Electric stimulation
Kinesiology taping
Soft tissue massages or knee joint mobilization

The experts in movement health and the musculoskeletal system at Axes Physical Therapy in the Moselle, MO area have experience guiding patients with all kinds of movement disorders, chronic pain, and injuries back to the life and activities they care about. Discover more about our treatment capabilities and the types of conditions we specialize in for patients near Moselle, MO, such as:

Recover from your Knee Injury in Moselle, MO Now

If you recently experienced a knee injury or are suffering from any symptoms that you think may be caused by any type of knee injury, it is important to consult a trustworthy medical professional right away. As musculoskeletal specialists with expertise in movement and the human body, the physical therapists of Axes Physical Therapy in Moselle, MO will take charge of your recovery. Contact our physical therapy clinics today or find the location nearest you in Moselle, MO to take the first step toward healing and relief from your knee injury.

Knee Injury Moselle, MO